Waiting
by OmittchiAkari
Summary: Shuichi must learn to deal with the idea of Yuki dying. But will be ever get over him? Who will be the one to mend his heart? (too many pairings.)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters belong to their creators. I claim none! Hahaha! None! XD Gomen. Go buy Gravitation stuff! Onegai? Support the creators and all praise be to them. ^_^  
  
Author: OmittchiAkari Hibiki: omittchi@megatokyo.org Send the flames that way!  
  
Pairings: Shuichi x Yuki Shuichi x Ryuichi Hints of Tohma x Yuki  
  
Rating: PG-13 and may change in later parts! Beware~! Warning! Language, yoai, and maybe sexual content. Perhaps a few spoilers for the series! SPOILERS!  
  
Author Notes: Ahh... first post on fanfiction.net. ^^;; I'm not a writer. Please don't comment too harshly. I'm really new at this but I love playing with the Yuki/Shuichi/Ryuichi pairings.   
  
--===--  
  
Waiting  
  
Chapter 1  
  
--  
  
  
It had finally happened. The turn of events had left Shuichi mentally battered and physically uncapable of everyday things. Now, his life revolved around Yuki Eiri's couch, the gleaming, sterile walls of the living room, and the soft chiming of a clock. The things he once found amusing and happy, innocent and memoriable, he now found distaste, a loathing, and most importantly, hatred. They reminded him of that cold romance novelist. That novelist who now lay comatose in the local hospital, waiting for the day he would either wake or be buried beneath the just-as-cold ground.  
  
***  
  
Shuichi's prone form, lined with a thin sheet, loitered on the couch he now called home. The doctors at the hospital had to restrain him from staying in Yuki's room, pleading with him to go get some rest. Shuichi couldn't rest though. Not until they cured Yuki. Not until the day Yuki was back, clicking away at his laptop telling how much of a baka he was. And then, Shuichi could be happy and rest.   
  
A jingle of metal and a clattering of keys in the door jarred Shuichi from his thoughts. His eyebrows twitched in annoyance and he nestled deeper into the sheet, praying that it was his imagination. But then again, in his mind, he could see the silhouette of a lanky, blonde writer, smoking absently on a cigarette as he dropped his coat on the end of the couch... but no, it couldn't be. Yuki was at the hospital, getting treatment so he could write about love and torment Shuichi with his constant smoking and comments. But... Shuichi would wait. He would wait as long as he could to smell the nicotine coated air and feel the petal soft kisses that Yuki gave so reluctantly.   
  
The thud of a door closing. Footsteps.   
  
Shuichi shuddered and felt his chest tighten in fear.  
  
A female voice shattered the eerie silence that had fallen over the room, "We really can't just leave him here any longer. It's been weeks... The idea of my brother waking from his current state was dismissed heavily by his physicians." Another pause, "He won't be back for Shuichi."   
  
The unmistakable voice of Shuichi's employer, Tohma Seguchi, followed, stiffened by his self-contained anger, "Leave him. He caused this to Eiri-san! I won't forgive him." A rustle of expensive material, undoubtably Tohma's fur lined coat, "Mika, you may do what pleases you with the boy. I won't have anything to do with him besides his career. I don't want to see him anywhere near our home or Eiri-san." A door closed.   
  
Shuichi rolled the conversation he had just witnessed around his head. Was it really his fault? Didn't they say that last time[1]? But Yuki got better! It was just the stress. Stress that Shuichi had put Yuki through. But Yuki still came back with him. Yuki came back to him. He'd come back this time, too.  
  
An exhasperated sigh echoed and Mika's voice cracked at him, "Shuichi. Get up. I know your awake."  
  
"Ohayo, Mika-san." Shuichi's eyes flutter opened, but he made no attempt to get up.  
  
"This is not the time for that, Shuichi. Your living conditions are deteriorating faster than anything I've seen. When was the last time you had a decent meal? Hmm? I haven't seen you eat since the day Yuki was admitted. Your not healthy, Shuichi. It's not healthy for you here." Mika blandly stated, casually turning her eyes to meet the dreary singer's face.  
  
"Just like the doctors, ne? 'It's not healthy for you', they said. 'It's not helping Yuki-san, your only in the way' they said." Shuichi felt his eyes water, "'Go home. It's not healthy for anyone.'... they said."   
  
Mika just stared at him in annoyance, "Do you really think sitting around a dying man in a hospital will wake him up? Shuichi, he's not coming back. Even I, his own sister, can accept that. Now, I'm moving you out of here. Get up and make yourself presentable. We're leaving."  
  
Shuichi made no such attempt and layed there, lazily eyeing the woman.  
  
Spinning on her heel, Mika sauntered into the room that Shuichi had once shared with Yuki and a commotion of items being moved, pulled, and shoved followed. Mika soon returned, a bag packed with what meager possesions that Shuichi need for the time being. She reached down towards Shuichi and pursed her eyebrows, "Shuichi. Get up! It's time we left."  
  
A shaky breath crashed out from Shuichi's lips, eyes turning up towards Mika, tears spilling down his cheeks, "He's not dead... *I'm* not dead. Please don't kill what I have left. Don't kill what I have left of *me*, Mika-san."   
  
Mika smiled softly.  
  
"I'm not killing *you*, Shuichi. I'm going the save *you* from yourself."  
  
--===--  
To be Continued...  
  
Extra notes:   
  
[1] From one of the eps (dun remember which one. 10 or 11ish I think. o_o). The one where Yuki gets an ulcer or something and heads to America to get away from Shuichi. Everyone thinks its Shuichi's fault for the ulcer because of the stress Shuichi puts on him. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All characters belong to their creators. I claim none! Hahaha! None! XD Gomen. Go buy Gravitation stuff! Onegai? Support the creators and all praise be to them. ^_^  
  
Author: OmittchiAkari Hibiki: omittchi@megatokyo.org Send the flames that way!  
  
Pairings: Shuichi x Yuki Shuichi x Ryuichi Hints of Tohma x Yuki  
  
Rating: PG-13 and may change in later parts! Beware~! Warning! Language, yoai, and maybe sexual content. Perhaps a few spoilers for the series! SPOILERS!  
  
Author Notes: Ahh... first post on fanfiction.net. ^^;; I'm not a writer. Please don't comment too harshly. I'm really new at this but I love playing with the Yuki/Shuichi/Ryuichi pairings.   
  
--===--  
  
Waiting  
  
Chapter 2  
  
--  
  
The sound of a gun's safety release being clicked into place startled Hiro in a way that words cannot describe. The barrel of a magnum pressed dangerously against the back of his head.  
  
K's silky yet dangerous voice caused Hiro to momentarily shudder in fright, "Just because Shuichi isn't here, doesn't mean you can sit around all day and do nothing."   
  
Seguru looked up from where he had been resting at the conference table, "What *can* we do? Shuichi was suppose to write the lyrics for the songs and we were to build the songs around it."   
  
Hiro nodded, confirming K's worst fear.   
  
Bad Luck was going to suffer on the charts.  
  
***  
  
  
It wasn't a plain room, Shuichi decided. Nowhere near as plain as the apartment he had shared with Yuki.  
  
  
It smelled lightly of lysol and chlorox, freshly washed linens, and general brand soap. Cheap general brand soap. A hotel room. Mika exspected him to live in a hotel room. It must've been the quickest, most uncomfortable hotel room in history. The walls were tinted cream with printout-paintings of mundane plantlife. The carpet had patches of some unknown substance and on a desk on one side of the room, a lamp flickered to life and back to oblivion. Continuously.   
  
Shuichi could feel a twitch coming on. No... More like a spasm.   
  
The only good point was it had a balcony overlooking downtown. If there was anything that Shuichi liked in a home, it was a view. Especially since it reminded him of the balcony at Yuki's. Well, used-to-be-Yuki's balcony. He was pretty sure that Tohma and Mika were going to sell Yuki's apartment.   
  
He rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully, muttering to himself, since Mika had left him to get comfortable in his new 'home', "I can't possibly live here...Where's the cigarette smoke? The walls have waaaay too much... *stuff* on them! Paintings! Yuki never had those! Not really anyway.. only the ones with wierd shapes on them. But anyway, there isn't a couch!" He could feel the tears swelling up under his eyes, only to brush faintly down his cheeks in warm lines.   
  
Then he spazzed. He chibified and burst into a full-blown tantrum, stomping and waving around frantically, clawing for anything that would remind him of home.  
  
Finally, after he got over the initial shock of no cigarette smoke, he shrugged off his bag. He tapped the 'on' button to the TV and settled down on the rickety bed which moaned and screeched in protest. A news caster with layers of make-up and an even faker smile was busy detailing the latest news. And this was a man. Shuichi was about to change the channel when he heard something familiar:  
  
"In entertainment news, popular novelist Yuki Eiri is still hospitalize at Tomodachi Regional. He remains in the intensive care unit for his degenerating lung cancer. Earlier today he was put onto life support and is not expected to recover. We've heard a lot about his scandalous love life with famous pop singer Shindo Shuichi of Bad Luck. It was only last year when our station covered the breaking news of their relationship! While on that subject, Shindo Shuichi hasn't been reached for comment on Yuki's condition. His band, Bad Luck, has delayed the release of their highly anticipated CD. Their manager believes that it will give their lead singer, Shindo, more time to cope with his situation and to create the lyrics that has brought him so much fame. That's it for entertainment news, please stay tu.."  
  
Shuichi clicked the TV off with the remote. The silence that followed almost deafened him. That was right... he had to write the lyrics for their new CD! He hadn't even started yet with all the commotion. He settled down at the desk and pulled out some of the hotel's complementary stationary. Adjusting the graphite of his mechanical pencil, he jottted down a few words.   
  
It hadn't been a minute before he crumpled it up and began again with another sheet.   
  
Another minute. Another crumpled sheet of stationary.  
  
He furrowed his brow and tried to concentrate. Nothing popped into his mind. Well, only the thought of Yuki. The more he tried the worse it got. He could almost smell the cigarette smoke. It wasn't just any smoke, but no! It was that special brand that Yuki always smoked. It smelled like nicotine and cologne. Just like the way that Yuki smelled. Maybe he would go buy a pack. Just to smell them.   
  
He crumpled another sheet and tossed it into the nearby trash can.   
  
Must get out. He had to get out. This room was smothering him.   
  
He threw on a jacket and tossed his bag over his head onto his shoulder.   
  
He couldn't stay any longer in that damnable hotel room.  
  
--===--  
To be Continued...  
  
  
Extra notes: Yay! Chapter 2! I didn't think I'd finish chapter 1, let alone chapter 2! Thanks for the comments! That's the main reason I finished it! Thank you! ^.^ Stay tuned and I'll try to finish chapter 3 soon (maybe even today!)   
  
BTW: Why is everyone so concerned about me killing Yuki? ^^;;;;; -sharpens knives with Yuki's name on them- I haven't killed him yet/I'm not killing him(yet). Read to find out what I do to him. ^o^  
  
Oh, and I do realize that Shuichi is acting sorta OOC. But, think about it. Wouldn't you not be happy-spastic all the time if your lover was laying in a cancer induced coma at the local hospital? 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All characters belong to their creators. I claim none! Hahaha! None! XD Gomen. Go buy Gravitation stuff! Onegai? Support the creators and all praise be to them. ^_^  
  
Author: OmittchiAkari (Hibiki): omittchi@megatokyo.org Send the flames that way!  
  
Pairings: Shuichi x Yuki Shuichi x Ryuichi Hints of Tohma x Yuki  
  
Rating: PG-13 and may change in later parts! Beware~! Warning! Language, yoai, and maybe sexual content. Perhaps a few spoilers for the series! SPOILERS!  
  
Author Notes: Ahh... first post on fanfiction.net. ^^;; I'm not a writer. Please don't comment too harshly. I'm really new at this but I love playing with the Yuki/Shuichi/Ryuichi pairings.   
  
--===--  
  
Waiting  
  
Chapter 3  
  
--  
  
Tohma sighed and reclined into his plush swivel chair behind his desk. He had called a meeting between him and the members of Nittle Grasper to discuss business. They hadn't been together to discuss matters like this for almost a year. Not since they had decided to get back together. Their immediate future didn't hold anything but a casual song with Bad Luck.  
  
"And so, for this company to continue, it must have a source of income. Since ASK has been at odds with their lead singer, Aizawa, I relied mainly on Nittle Grasper's old fame and Bad Luck's new fame to run this company. But since Bad Luck has hit a.. snag... I'm finding it more and more difficult to keep things at bay."  
  
Noriko cocked an eyebrow, "And what does it have to do with us? Nittle Grasper?"  
  
Tohma laughed softly, "Always quick on the uptake, as usual, I see. I would like Nittle Grasper to either tour or release a CD in the upcoming months. Please."   
  
A quick shuffle and Tohma was on his feet bowing to his friends, face concealed behind a mask of platinum hair.   
  
Ryuichi grinned childishly and began to laugh, "Tohma looks funny like that! You don't have to bow to Ryuichi and Kumougoro! Neither to Noriko! We're your friends! I'd love to help! Me'n'Kumougoro have been waiting for a chance like this for months!" He angled his face and held Kumougoro up to nibble on its ear as if to illustrate his point.   
  
Noriko nodded, winked, and added, "He's right. We all knew that if we got back together that there'd be a demand for such a thing. It was just a matter of time."   
  
Tohma straightened and smiled, "Yes.. yes, that's very true. So, which shall it be? Tour or CD?"  
  
"Let Ryuichi decide. He's the one all gung-ho for it." Noriko shrugged, adjusting her vest, "I'm up to any challenge."  
  
Kumougoro popped up before Tohma and Ryuichi's ventriloquism came into action, "A CD! CD-CD! I want a CD says Kumougoro!"   
  
Tohma's mouth quirked into a mature smile, "I suggest we should get to work then."   
  
Ryuichi beamed and began humming. The beginning of a tune that could very well be their next big hit. Nittle Grasper was going to soar into the charts if it was the last thing any of them did. Ryuichi was confident of that.  
  
***  
  
Ryuichi flashed a toothy smile and gave Noriko and Tohma an energetic farewell. Kumougoro's arms waved cheerily in the band members' direction and Ryuichi made his exit. He was glad to be working on music again. His extended absence from the music world left him nostalgic for the old times when he would be assaulted by requests for new songs. The lights. The cheers. The media. Everything. He missed the spotlight. Not to say he didn't feel famous. Far from it. He knew of his status in the minds of those who grew up to his music. He helped form a generation. Most importantly he formed a new style of music. A techno-mix with strong hints of rock that sent shivers down anyone's spine. He was proud.   
  
But he was lonely.   
  
He huggled Kumougoro closer as he made his way down the familiar halls. The gleaming glass doors of the NG building slid shut behind him and he noticed something was amiss. A tension in the air. The hairs on the back of his neck felt as though someone was lightly scraping at them.   
  
What was wrong? The streets were filled with the bustle of cars and trucks that normally were there. Happy families, teenagers, and businessmen scuttled past, preparing to return home after long days of work and school. That was normal at this time of day. The sky was robin's egg blue, spotted with marshmallow clouds that drifted along the skyline. Normal. He turned his head slightly. Ah! There was what was amiss! A lone figure stood a fair distance away, just staring at the NG building. What an odd person. What's so special about the NG building? Was there a daredevil on the roof about to jump hundreds of feet and land in a tub of water? He wanted to see!   
  
  
The second thing he noticed about the figure was the unmistakable pink hue of their hair... kinda like Kumougoro's. No.. prettier. Deeper. A rosy shade! Ryuichi smiled and thought about how much it was the color of a blush. Shuichi had pretty hair like that. In fact... as Ryuichi stepped closer to the figure, he noticed the amethyst eyes that were fighting to hold back tears.   
  
Ryuichi yelped and tackled the man, squealing and exclaiming his happiness, plowing his musical advisary and friend with a barrage of questions, "Shuichi~~! Why're you here? How're the lyrics coming? Have you seen Yuki-san lately?"  
  
A twitch.  
  
"How is he? Tohma's upset about Yuki-san, I think!"  
  
Spasm.  
  
"Have you talked to Tohma? Didjya know we're making a new CD and that..."  
  
  
Shuichi stared glassily at his god of music that stood before him, who's was face glowing with excitement. He had droned out Ryuichi's voice after the second mention of Yuki. Didn't Ryuichi know? Didn't he understand? It's been all over the news for the past couple of weeks. Didn't the whole damn world know by now? Shuichi entertained that thought for a moment. The world was gossiping about how his lover smoked himself into oblivion and how he was too washed up to finish his band's new CD. The fangirls must laugh at him now, teasing about how he *used* to be cool, cute, and creative. Now he was alone, unable, and unbearable. Maybe a he should become a monk. Turn his life around and do things for a higher purpose.   
  
"Sakuma-san... do you think I could be a monk?" Shuichi cut in.  
  
Ryuichi blinked and laughed, "Shuichi can't do that! Your way too cool to shave your head and chant all day!"   
  
Shuichi nodded mutely.  
  
"Why? Why is that, Shuichi?"  
  
"I screwed everything up. I'm washed up. I'm yesterday's trash." Shuichi proclaimed, "I don't have a life anymore. Yuki's gone."  
  
Ryuichi scowled, his eyes crinkling along the edges, "Shuichi. If you think like that, then your life *will* be over."  
  
The boy with rosey colored hair jumped a little at Ryuichi's sudden conversion. It was like one moment talking to the innocence of a toddler, and then to the wisened, old neighbor that knew the remedy to make life better.  
  
Ryuichi continued, "You think that since you got to the top it'd be easy? I thought you knew better, Shuichi. Bad things happen. Rising above them is what makes you or breaks you. Rise up, Shuichi!"   
  
Bewildered purple eyes stared helplessly into the confident blue ones of older man.  
  
  
"Shuichi, you can still be number one."  
  
  
  
--===--  
  
To be Continued...  
  
  
Extra notes: Yeah... I'm not on a roll. I think Ryuichi's eyes are blue... and I think Shuichi's are purplish. Wait.. yes.. no. maybe. Bear with me, please! Oh, please comment! I'm a sad, pathetic writer who dwells on comments. I dunno if I should keep going or not. Thanks to those who have commented! Oh, Akari, dun worry. I'll make Shuichi happy one way or another. It's just up to you to find out with who. ^.^ -huggles Shuichi- 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: All characters belong to their creators. I claim none! Hahaha! None! XD Gomen. Go buy Gravitation stuff! Onegai? Support the creators and all praise be to them. ^_^  
  
Author: OmittchiAkari (Hibiki): omittchi@megatokyo.org Send the flames that way!  
  
Pairings: Shuichi x Yuki Shuichi x Ryuichi Hints of Tohma x Yuki  
  
Rating: PG-13 and may change in later parts! Beware~! Warning! Language, yoai, and maybe sexual content. Perhaps a few spoilers for the series! SPOILERS!  
  
Author Notes: Ahh... first post on fanfiction.net. ^^;; I'm not a writer. Please don't comment too harshly. I'm really new at this but I love playing with the Yuki/Shuichi/Ryuichi pairings.   
  
--===--  
  
Waiting  
  
Chapter 4  
  
--  
  
He had left silently, intense eyes breaking away from even more determined ones. Shuichi didn't understand Sakuma-san. He couldn't. His mind kept rejecting the idea of 'becoming number one'. Sakuma-san should know. Sakuma-san was always first, always before Shuichi.  
  
Well, maybe he could of been first. When Yuki was with him. Now his dreams, his life, were deteriorating in a stark white hospital room miles away.  
  
He sighed as he tucked himself deeper into his coat and kept a steady pace. He reluctantly admitted that coming to the NG building had been a bad idea. Too many memories. Too many people that knew him.   
  
Especially because it meant that K could track him down easier. He gulped, shuddering involuntarily.  
  
  
***  
  
The conference room was eerily still as K explained the gigs he had set up for the band. Seguru was merily discussing how to bring Bad Luck to its full potentional when K sneezed the handfull of gig-contracts blew mischieviously out the window. Sakano prompty screamed and fainted.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Ryuichi calming watched the retreating boy. He hadn't meant to upset him further. He's eyes soften, a maturity falling into place.   
  
Another thought struck him.  
  
Maybe Shuichi wasn't used to being alone.  
  
He always had Hiro or Yuki there to help him, to talk to. Becoming so close to Yuki had help erode Shuichi's close friendship to Hiro into a close partnership.  
  
Shuichi had become dependant on Yuki. Like a drug.  
  
Just like the way he had become addicted to Kumougoro.  
  
  
***  
  
Tohma sat, carefully tending to a cup of coffee, watching the steady rise and fall of Yuki's chest. The monstrous machines that filled the rooms seemed to loom dangerously around the frame of a man that lay silent on the bed. The NG president took another sip from the mug and blanched.   
  
Black coffee.   
  
Strong black coffee.   
  
He set down the cup on the bedside table, the only surface available, and leaned over the bed to place a small peck on Yuki's forehead, "Come back to us, Eiri. Even for just a moment... come back to me." Yuki's hand seemed to curl slightly, just enough to give Tohma the illusion of false hope. He begged silently to whatever force that he had to reckon with, tears spilling down his cheeks, "Please. Come back..."   
  
  
***  
  
Shuichi jumped, unable to shake the feeling that was plaguing him. There was something or someone following him. Probably another reporter, hot on the chase to get that special, rare comment from spiraling musician, Shindo Shuichi.   
  
Pulling his cap further down and re-adjusting his shades, he ducked into an sparsely filled ice cream parlor. The exuberant colors and the smell of sweet, flavored cream made him a little more comfortable than the smog and pedestrian-filled streets outside. He decided it was best to stay inside for a while until he could finally nip that "I'm-being-stalked" feeling in the bud.   
  
His stomach howled in dismay.  
  
And maybe he could grab a small snack too, he relented sheepishly.   
  
The jingle of the bell on the door distracted Shuichi's attention from the delicious looking array of flavors. He turned to look at he new comer, but was surprised to just see the bell swinging, as though it had been swatted at by a playful kitten.   
  
There it was. That unsavory feeling of a stalker. It was closer, creeping up behind him. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck bristle at the intensity. He turned slowly to confirm any fears he now had only to bump noses with a certain pink bunny.   
  
Shuichi did the only thing that anyone would do in his situation. He screamed.   
  
***  
  
At the NG building, Hiro and Seguru were hard at work trying to please Sakano and K with what music they had.   
  
As the song reached its peak and Seguru put his keyboard playing to a new level of difficulty, Hiro's guitar strings snapped and the keyboard stand fell over.  
  
It was soon followed by a scream of pure fright that sounded oddly like Shuichi.   
  
The group stood there for a moment, slightly awed by the spectacle, question marks forming above their heads.   
  
Sakano was the first to go, exploding like a shaken soda. Ranting loudly and tugging at his hair, he tried to plead with any heavenly beings that were against them.  
  
Seguru turned to the only other people in the room, eyes reflecting the need for an explaination.   
  
K chuckled, "I guess its a little 'Bad Luck'."   
  
Hiroshi and Seguru promptly scowled and resisted the urge to hurt their, now hysterical with laughter, American manager.  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Ne, ne! Does Shuichi always come here for ice-cream? I want some ice-cream and so does Kumougoro! What flavors should we get, Shuichi?!" Ryuichi exclaimed, happily closing in on Shuichi's personal space. The latter tried to back away, but only bumped into the refrigerating units for the ice-cream. Shuichi's eyes burst open wider as his arms threw themselves subconsciously up, ready to push away the intruder, but Ryuichi ceased his invasion just as both their noses touched.  
  
"Shuichi shouldn't be such a loner. You can talk to Kumougoro and Ryuichi if you want! We'll be around always, okay?!"  
  
Shuichi's face flushed at the closeness. No one had come this close to him in a long while. Not even Yuki, who had been distancing himself from him until the day he collapsed, body landing on the hard concrete of the sidewalk lining the park they loved. Their park. Shuichi's eyes glazed over a little as he replayed that day in his head.   
  
Ryuichi noticed the distant look in Shuichi's eyes and pulled away slightly, skillfully snatching the sunglasses from off the younger man's nose. A squeak filled the shop as Shuichi realized how naked he felt.  
  
"Sakuma-san! Please! I can't be seen! The reporters'll get me!" Shuichi pleaded.  
  
The other man placed the sunglasses on his stuffed animal's face, but was sadly disappointed that the shades were too large for the small animal's small frame. The glasses slipped, clattering to the tile floor. As Ryuichi bent to pick them up, his foot collided with them, sending them scittering halfway across the room in front of the door.  
  
To both their surprise, just as the shades stopped moving, the door sprung open, an exuberant rush of school children plowing in. A loud snap of plastic frames and the crunching of tinted glass made Shuichi wince.  
  
There they went. His shades. The ones he had bought while shopping with Yuki in the downtown area. The tiny slivers glided across the room and sparkled by his sneakers.  
  
He felt something trail down his cheek. Was it another tear? Sure, the glasses had some sentimental value, heck, a whole lot to him, but had he started crying? His hand flew up tentively, wiping away the nuisance.   
  
Something red was on his hand. Blood? Yes, there was blood on his hand, dancing on his fingertips.  
  
He yelped in surprise and grabbed for a napkin in the, luckily, nearby dispencer.   
  
Ryuichi sputtered and began to apologize relentlessly, wiping at the cut on Shuichi's cheek with a napkin. A shard must've jumped up and sliced up Shuichi's cheek. Ryuichi held the napkin until Shuichi started to usher his hand away, "Sakuma-san. Stop."   
  
The demand in Shuichi's voice startled Ryuichi, "But Shuichi..."   
  
"...what..?"  
  
"Your holding my hand on it..."  
  
Shuichi's gaze fluttered towards his cheek, as best as he could anyway, towards the tangle of hands. Sure enough, his hand was steadily plastering Sakuma's soft fingers to his cheek.   
  
A blush slammed onto his face and he released the hand, "Ryuichi, please. I really need to just be alone. It's okay! Really. Before Yuki, I never had anyone, so I think I can work things out now."  
  
"Not even Hiro?"  
  
Shuichi shook his head, "No. Hiro was always girl crazy. We were the best of friends, but it didn't mean I told him everything."  
  
"Being alone hurts, Shuichi. It makes you empty. I won't let that happen. Not to anyone. If it's by my music or by my friendship, I will never let it happen."   
  
A silent moment passed between the two.   
  
Grooooowl. Shuichi's stomach laid protest again.  
  
"How about that ice-cream, Shuichi?" Ryuichi smiled, arms embracing an ever-smiling rabbit.  
  
  
--===--  
  
To be Continued...  
  
  
Extra notes: Once again, thank you for the reviews and comments! Mucho appreciato! Wow! How fluffy! Not much of a plot twist but those are coming sooner or later. ^^;;; I went back over the past 4 chapters, did some revising, typo-fixing, and that sort. Please enjoy! Once again, keep reading and the comments are ever wanted! 


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